When I first starting working within the translation industry and was tasked with prospecting for new clients, one of my common introductions would often be... 'we offer high quality translations' ;.Often this is met with slightly blank expressions - and rightly in order few translation service providers would lay claim to offering poor quality translations. I soon realised that this process, and specifically the utilization of the phrase 'quality', wasn't best suited to prospecting for new clients. The reason why I was so keen to utilize this word while approaching new clients was due to the effect I'd see it had inside my training, where I'd seen a prospect switch to the company due to the "poor quality" translations they had received elsewhere. Within my mind the primary reason clients would select a specific provider was right down to quality. While I still believe this to function as the case in several situations, other factors such as for example price, reputation, and ability to provide the proper service can be equally important.
Quality, however, continues to be a very important factor whenever choosing your translation provider. The issue comes when trying to evaluate quality. Often, one of many difficulties that face purchasers of translation services is the primary reason they're utilising the services of a supplier in the initial place and that is that they don't have the skills or capabilities internally for a specific language. Unlike most business services the caliber of the work, therefore, cannot be validated the moment the work is delivered. This validation usually comes once the work is published. This can be a costly exercise in testing, particularly if the results are that the work is of an undesirable standard or, worse still, damages the standing of the organization that has published the work. So how could you ensure that after you commission a translation service provider you'll receive an excellent translation and how do you start measuring this? This information looks at the issue of quality within the translation industry and examines the ways in which purchasers can evaluate the caliber of the translations they receive.
For many years, the language service industry has theorised on how to define an excellent translation. Most commonly used to explain just what a quality translation ought to be is that it meets and exceeds the customer's expectation of quality. This is an excellent standard to adhere to, however, the problem comes in determining what'll meet or exceed the customer's expectation of quality كلمة. Company X's comprehension of (or requirements for) quality might be very different from company Y's. It is essential when commissioning translation that most parties involved in the act (the buyer, supplier, the translator, etc.) are fully alert to what the expectation of quality is. A helpful exercise prior to confirming the assignment is to make a portfolio of examples and examples of good translations that can be supplied to the language service provider. This may be used as a semi-style guide for the translator undertaking the assignment. It can be beneficial to include types of bad quality translations to help make your needs more explicit. These samples can behave as a benchmark to compare completed translations. If you are at a stage where you are determining which language service provider you will be using, it can be very beneficial to commission a sample or test little bit of the writing to ascertain the expected level of quality. Ultimately, communicating your needs and ensuring that they are understood will significantly improve the likelihood of receiving an excellent translation.
Overall, when you analyse the caliber of translation work you're assessing 3 specific elements which make up the translation process; the agency, the translator and the actual translation itself. Firstly, you will need to consider the process the language service provider uses in terms of managing the work. You will find several European and worldwide standards that provide guidance for translation companies in regards to processing work. The most popular of the is BS EN 15038. However, must be company has achieved a certain standard or follows specific guidelines, there is no guarantee that they will provide an excellent translation. As mentioned above, a useful exercise if to ask the supplier to provide an examination piece of these work. Alternatively, ask to see a sample of work they think illustrates their quality. Additionally, testimonials or references also needs to be sought from satisfied customers.
